New England Patriots inside linebackers coach Dont’a Hightower and outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins will not be returning to the coaching staff in 2025, according to Mass Live’s Mark Daniels on Monday.
Hightower took over as the outside linebackers coach last February. Wilkins was also hired last season as part of Jerod Mayo’s staff
Hightower was a decorated player for the Patriots organization. He played nine years with the team and recorded 569 combined tackles. He made the Pro Bowl twice and won three Super Bowl titles.
Vrabel has made a flurry of moves over the last couple of weeks in an effort to build a stronger and more experienced coaching staff. Position coaches on both sides of the ball are getting revamped.
We’ll see if it pays off when the team hits the field. The defense in particular had a down season in comparison to previous years. Getting that unit back on track should be one of the main goals for Vrabel in New England.